SNEI is 51% Women & Minority owned and is currently certified through the WRMSCD, CPUC and NDOT as: WBE, MBE, DBE & SBE

Project Experience

SNEI works in a magnitude of different industries including  Solar, Gas Pipelines, Electric Power Transmission Lines, Fiber Optic Lines, Renewables, Water Pipelines, Wastewater Pipelines, Land Development and Roadway Projects. The services range includes conducting pre-project inventory surveys for various species, clearance surveys, translocation, construction monitoring and report writing.

SoCalGas Operation & Maintenance



Project Summary: SNEI provides support on SoCalGas Operation & Maintenance (O&M), Pipeline Integrity (PI), and Pipeline Safety Enhancement Plan (PSEP) projects, as needed, for any activities occurring on natural gas pipelines throughout Southern California.

Responsibilities include:

  • Perform ESA Section 7 and Section 10 biological monitoring
  • SWPPP compliance for various pipeline and facility maintenance projects throughout the Mojave Desert
  • Ensure project compliance with sensitive species which include the Mojave desert tortoise, Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard, Coachella Valley milk vetch, Mojave fringe-toed lizard, burrowing owl, Mohave ground squirrel, and migratory birds
  • Handle and relocate the Mojave desert tortoise
  • Excavate Mojave desert tortoise burrows and relocate nests
  • Perform nesting bird surveys for migratory bird and raptor nests

Gemini Solar Project



Project Summary: SNEI provides support on the construction of the largest solar project in the country of its kind. The Gemini Solar Project sits in an unincorporated area of Clark County, just 30 minutes outside Las Vegas, and consists of a 590-megawatt AC solar and 380mw battery storage, capable of storing more than 1,400 megawatt hours of solar power and features over 2 million solar modules installed on over 5,000 acres of land.

Responsibilities include:

  • Performed Desert Tortoise, migratory bird nest and botanical surveys ahead of the installation of 47 miles of temporary tortoise exclusionary fencing around the project work areas.
  • Performed ESA Section-7 biological construction monitoring for Mojave desert tortoise, golden eagle, burrowing owl, migratory bird nest, desert kit fox, three-corner milkvetch, nye milkvetch, rosy two-toned beardtongue, cacti/yucca, and noxious/invasive weeds.
  • Performed restoration effort monitoring which included cacti salvage, nursery monitoring, biocrust and vertical mulch
  • Perform fence routine fence checks for breaches, repair minor breaches, and document major breaches
  • Continue to provide ongoing construction monitoring and surveying efforts to support the multi-year project

Kern River Gas Transmission Company



Project Summary: SNEI provides support on Kern River Gas Transmission Company (KRGT) projects, as needed for installation, repair or replacement of natural gas pipelines throughout portions of Nevada and California

Responsibilities include:

  • Perform ESA Section 7 biological monitoring for various pipeline projects
  • Conduct sensitive species pre-construction surveys
  • Ensure project compliance of KRGT’s USFWS Biological Opinion and the CDFW Incidental Take Permit with regard to sensitive species which include the Mojave Desert Tortoise, Burrowing Owl and migratory birds
  • Handle and relocate Mojave Desert Tortoise

SNWA Operation & Maintenance



Project Summary: SNEI provides support on Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) Operation & Maintenance (O&M) projects, as needed, for any activities occurring at existing facilities throughout Clark County, Nevada.

Responsibilities include:

  • Perform ESA Section 7 biological monitoring for various facility maintenance projects throughout Clark County
  • Ensure project compliance with sensitive species which include the Mojave desert tortoise, burrowing owl and migratory birds
  • Handle and relocate Mojave desert tortoise
  • Perform nesting bird surveys for migratory bird and raptor nests

Coyote Springs Development



Project Summary: SNEI provides support on a master planned community located in Coyote Springs, Nevada. The master planned community is located on approximately 43,000 acres of land in Clark and Lincoln County.

Responsibilities include:

  • Perform ESA Section 7 and Section 10 biological monitoring
  • SWPPP compliance for various land development projects
  • Ensure project compliance with sensitive species, which include the Mojave desert tortoise, Gila monster, burrowing owl, and migratory birds
  • Attach, remove and maintain radio trackers
  • Weekly/monthly radio telemetry tracking
  • Conduct health assessments on Mojave desert tortoise
  • Translocate Mojave desert tortoises
  • Excavate Mojave desert tortoise burrows
  • Relocate Mojave desert tortoise nests

Castle Mountain Mine



Project Summary: SNEI performed a 1,133 acre desert tortoise clearance survey on BLM and private land at the Castle Mountain Mine. The mine is located in Hart, San Bernardino County, California.

Responsibilities include:

  • Conducted a Mojave desert tortoise clearance survey according to USFWS protocols
  • Ensured 100% coverage with two passes using 5-meter transects
  • Handle and relocate Mojave desert tortoise
  • Excavate all burrows
  • Relocate Mojave desert tortoise nests

VEA Transmission Lines



Project Summary: SNEI provided support on the construction of several Valley Electric Association (VEA) transmission projects. SNEI’s biologists were on the following lines: Johnnie to Northwest, Vista to Pahrump, Beatty to Tolicha Peak, and Innovation to Mercury. All of these transmission lines lie in Clark and/or Nye Counties, Nevada. The lines varied from 230-kV transmission lines to 24.9-kV distribution lines.

Responsibilities include:

  • Perform ESA Section 7 and Section 10 biological monitoring various transmission and facility construction projects
  • Ensure project compliance with sensitive species which include the Mojave desert tortoise, burrowing owl, Gila monster, and migratory birds
  • Handle and relocate Mojave desert tortoise
  • Excavate Mojave desert tortoise burrows
  • Relocate Mojave desert tortoise nests
  • Perform nesting bird surveys for migratory bird and raptor nests

Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System



Project Summary: SNEI provided support on Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (ISEGS) Project. ISEGS is the largest thermal solar system in the world with a 377-megawatt net solar complex. The ISEGS project is in San Bernardino County, California.

Responsibilities include:

  • Perform Mojave desert tortoise presence/absence surveys at the suggested translocation sites